Digitization is the future of business, but it doesn’t come without security risks. A recent report shows there were 15.1 billion records exposed in 2019 as part of data breaches. Network security vulnerabilities are the weakest link to your company’s data security system.
Unauthorized actions within your computer system can have devastating consequences, including brand trust deterioration, customer attrition, financial losses, and hefty compliance fines. A Forbes report says the average cost of a data breach is $3.86 million as of 2020.
A firewall is one of the most effective security measures for safeguarding your networks. This cybersecurity system secures your network by filtering incoming and outgoing traffic. The system is based on a defined set of security rules to allow or decline access to your business networks automatically.
Read on to find out the importance of a firewall for your company’s cybersecurity services strategy.
Types of Firewalls
Common types of firewalls include:
- Packet-filtering firewall: This firewall creates a checkpoint at a traffic router or switch and uses user-defined rules to allow or block access to a packet.
- Circuit-level gateway: A firewall that verifies the transmission control protocol (TCP) handshake.
- Application-level gateway/proxy firewall: A firewall working on a cloud-based platform or another proxy device to filter incoming traffic between your company’s network and the traffic source.
- Stateful inspection firewall: A second-generation firewall that combines packet inspection technology and TCP handshake verification.
- Next-generation firewall (NGFW): These next-gen firewalls offer a variety of innovative features such as TCP handshake checks, deep-packet inspection, intrusion prevention systems (IPSs), and surface-level packet inspection.
- Software firewalls: This is a firewall installed on individual network endpoints.
Why You Should Have a Firewall for Your Business Networks
Most people have heard of firewalls, but how beneficial are they really? Here are some reasons to incorporate a firewall into your cybersecurity systems:
Protection from Harmful Access
The global pandemic has forced more people online and this has increased the threat of hacking. If you have employees working remotely, a firewall is critical to protect your business. You also protect against malicious code and other harmful content, including computer viruses, worms, or spam.
Customized Data Monitoring
A firewall helps you customize the monitoring process for data filtering through your system. This offers the level of security that suits your business. A firewall offers 24/7 tailored monitoring to protect your business from harm.
Increased Control over Network Data
With a firewall in place, you have more control over internet content coming to your systems. You can set up access policies to block unwanted websites. This promotes productivity in your workplace. This also helps optimize bandwidth usage in your organization by blocking non-business-related usage.
Enhanced Security for Remote Working
More companies have embraced remote working, but it poses challenges. Outside your office, remote workers might not have the best cybersecurity systems and this can expose your business systems. A firewall secures the connection between you and remote employees.
Final Thoughts
Unauthorized access to networks is one of the emerging threats for businesses today. Now that your business relies on secure data systems, you need to upgrade your cybersecurity strategy. A firewall is the first line of defense when it comes to network protection. From there, you can boost your cybersecurity with other services such as risk assessments, data backup and disaster recovery, and more.
At ITS Group, we leverage our IT expertise to help businesses choose a firewall system that works best for them. Contact us today to learn more about our cybersecurity solutions and how they can work for your business.